


Career Change

by justthehiddles



Series: Adam and Charlie | The Reluctants [3]
Category: Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)
Genre: Adam is still grumpy, Back to School, Career Change, Domestic Fluff, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Humor, Panic Attacks, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Therapy, mentions of past trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-20
Updated: 2020-08-27
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:22:36
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26009479
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justthehiddles/pseuds/justthehiddles
Summary: It has been three months since Adam rescued Charlie.  Simone thinks it is time for Charlie to get back to some normalcy.  Adam resist the change and Charlie has to break out the legal pad again.
Relationships: Adam (Only Lovers Left Alive)/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Adam and Charlie | The Reluctants [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1863973
Comments: 8
Kudos: 12





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is about two months after Help Me, and three months after the end of The Reluctants

“So Charlie, what are you doing with your time these days?” Simone asked with a soft smile.

Charlie didn’t answer. It was three months since Adam rescued her and two months of twice weekly counseling sessions with Simone.

“Well, I…” her voice trailed off as she racked her brain about the previous day’s activities. It was the same as any other day. She read a book, listened to Adam play, had sex, cooked some food, Adam fed, and slept.

“Charlie, when was the last time you went somewhere? Left the house?”

“I took the garbage out on Monday.” Charlie chimed in.

“You know that is not what I mean. What about the grocery store? You are eating, correct?”

Charlie bristled a bit at Simone’s question. “Yes.” she snapped, her fingers began fidgeting in front of her. “I have groceries delivered every week. Adam keeps an eye on me.”

I am sure he does, Simone thought.

Simone shifted her weight. “Let’s ask another way, what are you doing for work?”

“I work at the record store. I told you.”

“You worked at the record store. It’s been three months, Charlie.”

Charlie opened her mouth and then closed it. Her shoulders slumped. “I guess you’re right.” There was a bit of sadness. She would miss Mr. Simmons, but there a part of her never wanted to go back and remember and relive that last night working there.

“Did you really want to work there, anyway?”

“No.”

“So what do you want to do?”

“I guess I could find a job at a law firm in town.” She responded glumly. She slumped even further back.

“Don’t hold back on the enthusiasm there, Charlie. I can’t take it.” Simone’s dry humor helped put Charlie at ease with therapy. Charlie appreciated the way she prodded but didn’t demand and validate her feelings and never once made her feel stupid or silly or the worst, ignored. “It wasn’t the law you were passionate about, was it?”

Charlie shook her head. “No.”

“So I will ask again, what do you want to do?”

Charlie chewed on her lip, thinking. “I don’t know. I want to help people.”

“A noble goal.” Simone clicked a few keys on her computer before smiling. “Charlie, I am sending you some homework for our next session.”

Charlie perked up. “Okay. What is it?”

“An aptitude test. Now I was wondering if I could speak to Adam for a moment.”

Charlie paled and gulped. Simone didn’t even need to look at her to recognize what was going on.

“You’re not in trouble, Charlie. You have done nothing wrong. I promise. Can you please send in Adam?”

Charlie got up, smoothed down her pajama pants and popped her head into the bedroom where Adam lied on the bed, sprawled out.

“Adam?” His head popped up at Charlie’s voice.

“All done?”

“Simone wants to talk to you.” Charlie fidgeted. “Alone.”

“Me?” Adam rose from the bed. “Did she say why?”

“No.” her voice soft.

Adam kissed her forehead and smoothed back her hair, cupping her face. “I am sure everything is fine. I will be right back.”

Adam walked to the spare bedroom where Charlie goes for privacy on therapy days. He shut the door behind and took a seat in front of the computer. Simone was typing on her computer.

“Adam. Is Charlie there?”

“No. She’s in the bedroom. You wanted to talk to me alone?” Adam’s brow furrowed.

“I did, Adam. I’m going to be blunt. Charlie needs to leave the house.”

Adam blinked. “She leaves the house.” he lied.

“No, she doesn’t. She is not working, she doesn’t run errands, she doesn’t go anywhere.”

“She doesn’t need to. Groceries can be delivered.”

“True, but Charlie isn’t like you and me. She can and should go out in the daylight. She thrives on interaction. You have built her a cage.”

“I did not. Adam’s fists clenched to his side. “She hasn’t wanted to go out. She doesn’t feel safe.”

“That’s not true. Yes, she doesn’t want to disappoint you. You are the first person to love her as she is. She has had a lot of trauma in her young life. Neglectful parents, cruel siblings, unloyal friends, destructive relationships. You have no idea.”

“I have an inkling.”

“There is a lot she doesn’t tell you, Adam. She doesn’t want to be a burden.”

Adam’s head dropped. He never pushed on Charlie’s past. He now regretted it.

“Adam?” Simone snapped him back, seeing his mind wandering. “This isn’t your fault. Just like Eve’s death.”

Adam’s eyes narrowed to slits. “How do you know anything about that?”

“Stories get around plus Charlie may have made a comment or two.”

“Then you realize it is my fault. It was my turn! And I was too caught up in myself to be bothered. Too self-absorbed. So she went out instead. And now she’s dead.”

Adam’s hands twisted in front of him. Simone noted the mirroring behavior of Charlie’s own nervous tic.

“Adam. I met Eve. And she was smart. Not to mention well versed in your moods. She made a choice.”

Adam shrugged. “I still could have stopped her.”

Simone chuckled. “I highly doubt that. Not even on her worst day could anyone stop Eve once she set her mind to something.”

“And what does this have to do with Charlie?”

“You can’t bring Eve back by keeping Charlie caged up in a triple decker in Quincy. She needs to get back to a new normal. Which includes her leaving the house.”

Adam fell back onto the bed, covering his face before popping back up. “How can I help?”

“To begin with, stop ordering in. Groceries and food. Go at night with her at first if it makes you feel better. But she needs to get out now. And second, continue to encourage her to maintain her friendships. Finally, she needs to get a job.”

Adam’s eyes snapped to the screen. “I can provide for her.”

“A job is more than money, Adam. You know Charlie. She needs to feel useful. She needs to help people. Am I right?”

“Yes.” Adam agreed, albeit begrudgingly.

“I appreciate that. I recognize that was hard for you.” Adam gave a half smile. Simone rubbed her hands together. “That is all I needed to talk to you about today. Thank you for keeping an eye on her nutrition and oh, I almost forgot I am sending Charlie some homework for our next session on Monday. Make sure she gets it done over the weekend.”

“What is it?”

“An aptitude test.”

Adam rolled his eyes.

-

Adam paced the living room floor as Charlie hunched over the computer, sitting on the green velveteen sofa. He glowered every time he overheard the clicking of the mouse or Charlie chuckle.

“You realize those tests are complete horse shit?” Adam snapped, holding his chin between his thumb and index finger.

“Mmm hmm.” Charlie responded. Her eyes remained glued to the computer screen. Adam stopped pacing and dropped his hands to the side.

“Are you even listening to me, Charlie?” His eyes bore into her. She resisted the urge to turn and engage, determined to get the test done so she could enjoy her weekend.

“Yes.” She clicked to the next screen.

“Then what’s the last thing I said?” Adam moved to hover behind her at the end of the couch, squinting at the screen. Charlie lowered it.

“Do you mind? This is private.” She leaned her head back against the armrest of the sofa to stare up at Adam with wide green eyes. “And the last thing you said was ‘Then what’s the last thing I said?’ and ‘Are you even listening to me, Charlie?’ before that and ‘You realize those tests are complete horse shit?’ before that.” She parroted back to Adam in an exaggerated accent and slow speed, earning her an eye roll.

“Smartass.” He leaned down and kissed her lips. She responded with a quick peck to his lips. Adam turned and flopped onto the couch next to Charlie’s feet.

“Which is why I should be working. We can’t let this beautiful mind go to waste.” Charlie returned to the screen, reading the last few questions.

“You don’t need a test to tell you what you are good at.” Adam’s hand slipped up Charlie’s leg, teasing her inner thigh before she closed her legs. “I can tell you that. Although it has more to do with your beautiful body than your body.” Adam purred, continuing to tease his fingers up her leg.

Charlie glared at him from over her laptop. “Fucking vampires is not a marketable skill.” She clicked off the last question. “There, all done.”

Adam rolled onto his stomach and crawled up Charlie’s legs to lean over the laptop lid. “So what do the experts say you should do for a living?” He struggled to keep the disdain from his voice.

“I heard that.” Charlie deadpanned. Adam glared. “It says… I might do well as a… police officer.”

“No.”

“Who’s life is it?”

“Who saved that life?”

“Fair point. Massage therapist.”

“The only naked body you are touching is mine.” He pushed her legs back open.

“Possessive much, Adam? You can trust me.”

“It is not you I am worried about.” He ducked his head underneath Charlie’s grey robe, which used to be his. Adam’s lips traced the curve of Charlie’s thigh. She bit her lip to stifle a moan, trying to focus.

“Adam, please…” she whined, play kicking him with her foot.

“Please what… my love?” Adam nudged his nose closer and closer to Charlie’s core. As she turned to drop the laptop onto the floor, the next profession caught her eye.

“How about a phlebotomist?” Charlie quirked an eyebrow up, dropping the laptop gently to the floor.

Adam stopped his teasing and popped his head up from between Charlie’s legs.

“I’m listening.”

“It looks like about 2 months of in class instruction and then 250 hours of an externship at a hospital.” Adam pulled himself to lie between Charlie’s legs, his head on her stomach.

“Keep going.” He pulled the robe loose.

“I would have ready access to blood for you. I could help save lives, solve crimes, but I wouldn’t be out in the field.” Adam’s lips ghost along her stomach and hips.

“Hmm.” Adam lost interest again.

“Shit.” Charlie hissed. “The course costs about $1600. I guess I could take out a loan, put it on my credit card.”

Realizing Charlie was ignoring all of his attempts to get into her proverbial pants, Adam sat up and grabbed her feet, rubbing her ankles.

“Is this what you really want to do?” Adam squeezed her knee.

Charlie nodded, her hair bounced. She could feel her chest swelling and the wheels in her brain turning. “I could learn how to draw my own blood so you didn’t always have to feed on me. And I could work flexible hours, eventually. And I could help save lives instead of just pushing paper around.”

“You won’t change your mind in two weeks?”

Charlie swiped across her chest and held up two fingers. “Cross my heart and Scout’s honor.”

Adam’s chest rumbled. “Were you even a Girl Scout, darling?”

Charlie’s face darkened. “I got to go to one meeting. Janice left me behind for the next one and I never made it back. I didn’t get a chance to even earn a badge.” A small sniffle.

Adam leaned over to kiss her. “You would have been a wonderful Girl Scout. If it means that much to you, I can and will pay for the course.”

Charlie furrowed her brow. “I can’t take your money, Adam.”

Adam rolled his eyes. “Are we having this argument again, Charlie? The money is unimportant. Your happiness and well-being, however, is a precious commodity.” He pulled her onto his lap. “And I will pay any price for that.”

“Really?” Her face scrunched up in a big smile and Adam found it impossible to not smile back.

“Really.” He kissed her nose. “Now with that out of the way…” Adam’s lips ghosted down to catch hers, tugging on her lower lip. “… where was I?”

“Anyone ever called you a horny little devil?”

“Only you, my love.”

Charlie pushed his shirt off his arms. “Good.”

-

Later that Evening

“I’m waiting in the car.” Adam spun on the heel of his combat boot to head towards the automatic doors at the front of the Stop n Shop a few miles away from the house. Charlie snatched his gloved hand.

“And leave me all alone? And defenseless? You know the number one place women get abducted from is grocery store parking lots?” Charlie batted her eyelashes and stuck her lower lip out in an exaggerated pout. Adam recognized with 95% certainty Charlie wasn’t scared of being abducted again. The 5% kept him planted next to her, one hand on the grocery cart and one hand tightly gripping hers.

Adam sighed. “Where to, first?”

“Produce.” Charlie directed the cart straight ahead.

By the time they hit the cereal aisle, Charlie regretted guilting Adam to shopping with her. For one, the two of them look like two disparate halves of a Halloween costume couple missing their other half.

The stocking clerk’s eyes darted between Charlie in her candy red sweater and matching wool coat and Adam in his dusty black leather jacket with his sunglasses obscuring his eyes from the harsh fluorescent lighting of the store. Charlie half expected him to ask her if Adam was bothering her.

“You eat this?!” Adam gagged as he read the side of Charlie’s favorite cereal, Sugar Smacks. She snatched the box out of his hand and dropped it in the cart.

“You get one veto.” Charlie responded. “The cereal or the meat?”

Even though she couldn’t see, Charlie could tell Adam was glaring daggers at her underneath his sunglasses. She jutted her hip out and tapped her boot against the linoleum. Adam groaned, rolling his head back.

“Go get the meat.” Adam replaced the Sugar Smacks on the shelf while Charlie rushed to grab the flat iron steaks on sale and chicken breasts.

Two hours and a near fist fight over a pack of mint Oreos in Aisle 12, they were finally in the parking lot loading bags into the Jaguar’s trunk.

“You are never allowed to come into a grocery store with me again.” Charlie bemoaned.

“We need to talk about your eating habits, Charlie.” Adam slammed the Jaguar’s trunk closed. “Processed is not a food group.” He held the door open for her. Once she slid in, he shut the door and walked around to get in and start the car.

“While we are talking, let’s have a discussion about public etiquette. You can’t start telling everyone you pass that they are poisoning themselves. You nearly got us kicked out.”

“Too much?” Adam questioned with a straight face as they headed home.

Charlie held her thumb and index finger apart ever so slightly. “Just a bit.”

-

Two Weeks Later

“Bye Adam.” Charlie cooed at about 7 that morning. Adam groaned and pulled the pillow tighter around his head until he realized what she said.

He jolted upright and glared at Charlie, who was tugging on her boots.

“What do you mean ‘bye’? Where are you going?” His eyes narrowed.

“Class starts today. I told you this last week. Twice. And last night. Don’t you remember?”

“Were one or both of us naked at the time?”

“Probably.”

“Then no. I don’t remember.”

Charlie rolled her eyes as she grabbed her coat and hat. “Typical man.” She kissed him and Adam encircled his arms around her waist, pulling tight against him. The wool of her coat scratched his chest. “I’m going to be late for my first day.” Charlie muttered against his lips.

“Good.”

“Are you supposed to be supportive?” Charlie chided, and only then did Adam release her.

“Yes.” He pecked her lips before straightening her hat and pushing the now barely contained curls away from her face. “Call me when you get there.”

“Promise.” Charlie smiled and grabbed her bag.

“And when you leave!” Adam called out after her. Charlie waved at him without turning.

Adam fell back asleep for a bit, but then the silence of the house stirred him awake. He couldn’t remember the last time the house stood so still. Adam grew used to Charlie’s puttering around the kitchen or the soft sound of whatever garbage Top 40 pop song was stuck in her brain at the moment.

“Fuck.” Adam cursed as he heard his own thoughts rattling around. It was going to be a long 11 weeks.

-

Charlie dragged herself through the basement door as the sun set behind her. Her muscles ached, particularly her shoulder as her tote bag was ladened with heavy textbooks. She dropped it to the floor off to the side of the door. All she wanted was a hot shower, food, pajamas and the couch, not necessary in that order.

Adam laid sprawled on the sofa. He hadn’t even bothered to change his pajama bottoms.

“Are you ill?” Charlie asked, shoving his feet to the side to flop down.

Adam pulled his arm back from his face to gaze up from the couch. “No. I was bored. When did you get home? You didn’t call.” Adam groaned, his arm flopping back onto his face.

“Poor Adam. Stuck his home all by himself with his instruments, books, electronics, and lesbian porn. Whatever would have done with his day?” Charlie taunted, groaning, pulling off her boots and tugging off her coat. “My first day was great, thank you for asking.”

“Sorry. I missed you.”

Charlie sighed and crawled up to lie on top of Adam. She plucked his arm away and kissed his chin, then his cheek, then his nose, before finally kissing his lips. He wrapped his arms around her torso, squeezing her ribs tight.

“I missed you, darling.” She turned her head to press her ear to his chest. “I missed you so much.”

“I know.” Adam kissed her hair, his hands slid down to cup her ass.

“I’m taking a bath, want to join me?” Charlie wiggled her eyebrows.

“Yes.” Adam stood up and swung Charlie over his shoulder, fireman style.

“Put me down, Adam!” She pounded uselessly against his back.

“No.” Adam continued to walk towards the bathroom, bouncing Charlie with each step. He turned on the water and set Charlie down.

She punched him in the arm. “All the blood rushed to my head, Adam!”

“Good.” Adam pulled her sweater off over her head before pushing his pajamas bottoms to the floor, his cock already heavy. “More delicious.” His mouth immediately latched onto Charlie’s neck and bit down, taking a long draw of blood.

“You’re lucky I own turtlenecks.” Charlie grumbled, arching against him.

“Less talking.” Adam growled against her, taking another drink before licking against the wound. His expert fingers unhooked her bra, and it fell to the floor between them. Charlie fumbled with her jeans, pushing them down to her ankles before toeing them off along with her socks.

“Put in the soap I like.”

Adam grabbed a bottle of bath soap smelling of rum and squeezed a generous amount into the water before turning off the tap. He stepped into the tub first and offered his hand to Charlie for support. Adam situated them with his legs on either side of Charlie, his feet sticking out of the too small tub.

“We need a bigger tub.” Charlie giggled at his toes peeking out of the water.

“The tub is just fine.” Adam stated. He pressed his knuckles in a knot between Charlie’s shoulders.

“Fuck yes, Adam!” Charlie yelled, gripping the tub. Adam smirked as he worked out the knot and Charlie melted against his chest, breathing deeply. With his hands at her waist, he twisted her body to face him.

“Now…” He squeezed her tits. “… to work out all the kinks.” He rocked his hips against Charlie.

She lifted herself and impaled herself on Adam’s cock. He hissed as she wiggled her ass, settling in.

“You’re brutal, Charlie.”

“And you love me for it.” she breathed, bucking against him. His slippery hands grabbing her hips.

“I love you for more than that.” He rocked her on his lap. Charlie flattened her hand against his chest as her hips found a rhythm.

“I love you too.” She leaned down to kiss him. Charlie’s tongue explored Adam’s mouth with passion. Her release close.

“Adam…” Charlie panted. Adam took one of Charlie’s breasts into his mouth, sucking hard as he snapped against her.

Her back arched as she came, and Adam grunted as he soon followed. They slumped back into the now tepid bordering on cold water. Charlie sat up and then carefully stood, bracing herself against the wall before stepping out of the tub.

“Where are you going?” Adam asked, standing, sloshing water onto the tile.

Charlie wrapped the towel around her and tossed one to Adam.

“To get dressed.” Charlie stated, walking out of the bathroom. Adam followed her, dropping the towel unused.

“But I just went through all that trouble of taking them off the first time.” Adam whined, watching as Charlie pulled on her Pusheen pajamas. “I would prefer you naked.”

“I am not doing homework naked.”

Adam’s face scrunched up like Charlie said the filthiest thing you could imagine. Or sang.

“Homework?”

Charlie sighed and kissed him on the cheek, patting his chest.

“Yes homework. I intend on acing the final exam. You can join me on the sofa, if you can behave yourself. I would hate to break out our old rules.”

Adam groaned as he turned to join Charlie in the living room where he whined and moan the entire time.


	2. Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlie continues to study, while Adam is a distraction.

Three Weeks Later

Charlie stared over at Adam from her perch on the couch and wonder if a #2 pencil had a sufficient amount of wood to kill a vampire or would the graphite core counteract that. Her nails dug into the wood as yet another moody rock song came on over the speakers.

“What do you think of this one, darling?” Adam inquired, either oblivious or indifferent to Charlie’s murderous intentions.

“It’s fine.” She commented quickly before returning her attention to her handwritten notes from class and her textbook.

Adam’s shoulders slumped. “Just fine?”

“Yup.” She popped the “p”, typing some notes on her laptop.

“Anything else?” Adam grew irritated. Charlie gave more detailed insights to his compositions when he plays them for her.

“Nope.” She didn’t even look up this time. The dissonant tones of Adam’s composition grated on her nerves and set her teeth on edge right now.

“Do you think it could use bass or maybe a different instrument?” Adam paced in thought. “Some drums… That’s it! Drums!” Adam snapped his fingers and headed towards his drum set in the corner. Charlie’s eyes widened as Adam spun a drumstick between his fingers and he sat down.

“You are not seriously going to do that now?” Charlie glared at him from over the high back of the sofa.

“Why not?” Adam drummed out a quick rhythm.

“I am trying to study. I have my first test tomorrow.” Charlie hissed. “Can’t this wait, darling, until I’m done?” Or when I am not here, Charlie thought to herself.

Adam made studying unbearable. If it wasn’t him playing music, it was him using various techniques to remove Charlie’s clothes and fuck her against whatever piece of furniture she happened to be sitting on. She started staying later at her school to complete her work either in the library or a nearby coffee shop. Her absence did not go unnoticed on those days, when Adam either brooded in bed or attacked her at the door.

“Inspiration does not work on schedule, Charlie.”

“Fine.” She packed up her books and laptop and headed into the spare bedroom as Adam put on his headphones and drummed out whatever melody was stuck in his brain.

-

“Tell me about the episode in the school hallway.”

Charlie took a deep breath. “So I was walking along when my friend came around behind me and hugged me. I didn’t know he broke his arm a few days ago ice skating and his cast came across my neck and I panicked.” She didn’t sob, but Simone could see the tears welling in her eyes.

“It’s okay to cry, Charlie. You are not even six months out from all this. You thought of Jason.”

Charlie nodded and allowed a couple of big tears to drop onto her jeans. “Yes.”

“How did you react?”

“I dropped my coffee and knees buckled.”

“Did you run away?”

“Not this time.”

“Good.”

“But I cried. People stared.”

“It’s okay, Charlie. They weren’t judging you. Did you talk to your friend?”

“Yes.” Charlie sniffled. “I told him I didn’t like being hugged from behind.”

“Did you tell him why?”

“Not yet.”

“That’s fine. We don’t have to tell people everything. Did your friend take it well?”

“He did. And he apologized and bought me a fresh coffee.”

“Excellent.”

“Why do I not panic when Adam hugs me?” Charlie questioned, her emotions leveling out.

“That’s an excellent question. Why do you think you don’t panic when Adam hugs you from behind?”

Charlie chewed on her lip as she thought about it.

“Well, I’m at home.”

“Anything else?”

“I recognize it’s him behind me.”

“How?”

Charlie closed her eyes and thought back. “I can hear his dressing gown swish and I smell him.”

“That’s right. Which is why we are working on situational awareness so you can tell when something is a threat or not?” Simone added and Charlie smiled. “How is Adam taking to all this?”

Charlie huffed, running her fingers through her hair, twirling the ends.

“Charlie, what’s wrong?” Simone asked.

“Nothing. It’s fine.” Charlie pushed her hair back and settled herself.

“Charlie, what’s the rule?”

“No use of ‘fine’ or ‘okay’ when asked a question. Sorry.”

Simone let the apology slide. “Let’s try again… What’s wrong?”

“Adam is driving me crazy!” Charlie groaned. “He won’t leave me alone.”

“He’s used to have you to himself and not sharing you with the world, Charlie. Vampires don’t take change well. Particularly an obstinate vampire like Adam.”

“How do I get him to understand this is important to me?”

“What makes you think he doesn’t already know?”

“He seems to be sabotaging my study attempts.”

“And how is he doing that?”

“Playing his music, pulling out his drums, asking nonstop questions, sex. Take your pick.”

“Sex?” Simone raised an eyebrow.

“All the time. Are vampires part rabbit? I need to know.”

“No. But I can say certain appetites increase significantly once a vampire turns.”

Charlie rolled her eyes, and Simone suppressed a chuckle. “And I got involved with a sex fiend from a former life.”

“He is a musician. You knew this. And I haven’t heard you complain about your sex life before.” Simone countered.

“I am not complaining.” Charlie blushed. “I just… I need to get the work done and do well. This is important to me.”

“I know this is going to sound like a radical idea but have you tried talking to him?”

“Yes.” Charlie replied in a small voice.

“Charlie, have you really tried?”

“Not really.”

“Sit him down in a neutral place. I would suggest the kitchen. And explain why this is important and how his behavior is hindering you. Set some ground rules. You like rules.”

Charlie nodded. “I do.”

“Can you sit down with him this week and set up some ground rules for this time that you are in this course?”

“I can.”

Simone smiled. “Good luck.”

-

Charlie hoped her pleading with Adam would stop the teasing and distractions. She was wrong. If anything, her apparent disinterest in having sex whenever and wherever with Adam only seemed to stoke his libido. A few days later, Adam wandered into the kitchen after waking up to find Charlie sitting at the table.

“Please sit down, Adam.” Charlie gestured to the seat across from her.

Adam narrowed his eyes as he moved to the chair. As he spun the chair around to straddle it backwards, he spied the legal pad underneath Charlie’s neatly folded hands.

“No.” He started to stand up.

“Sit down, Adam.” Charlie hissed through gritted teeth. Her eyes flashed at him with such intensity Adam stopped midway before spinning the chair back the right way and flopping back down and rolling his eyes.

“We need some rules.” Charlie clicked her pen.

“No.” Adam repeated. “We don’t.”

Charlie exhaled in exasperation. “Let me rephrase. We will have some rules because I can’t continue on like this. I can’t get any studying done and I refuse to fail this course because you can’t keep it in your pants.”

“I have self-control.” Adam lied.

Charlie narrowed her eyes at him. “I think the record is clear on your self- control. Shall I go into detail?”

Adam squirmed under his glare. “No.” he resigned. “Do I get any say in these rules?”

“Yes, but they have to work for me too. This is important to me, Adam and I want to do well. Do you understand?”

Adam glanced over the table at Charlie. He realized he was sabotaging her efforts and he couldn’t even tell you why. He gave a distracted nod.

“I need to hear the words Adam.” He overheard the tapping of her finger on the table.

“Yes.” he groaned.

Charlie smiled and danced in her seat. She clicked her pen a few more times and started writing.

“Hey!” he complained. “I didn’t agree to anything yet!” He crossed his arms.

Charlie smirked. “We can negotiate.”

She slid the paper over. Adam read 1. No fucking.

“Absolutely not!!” Adam shoved the legal pad. “That rule never works!”

Charlie giggled. “I was only joking. Like I need to tempt fate a second time.”

“I don’t know about that.” He shot a lurid glare across the table. “Seems to have worked out in your favor.”

Charlie smirked, ripping the page off and crumpling it into a ball. She tossed it into the trashcan in one shot. She chewed on the pen cap for a moment before scribbling. Adam leaned over to spy but Charlie wrapped her arm around the pad.

“No peeking. I don’t want any commentary.”

Adam huffed back in the chair.

Charlie smiled in satisfaction as she stopped writing. “There. Look.”

Adam glanced over the rules, his lips pursed.

RULES APPLY FOR TIME WHEN CHARLIE IS ACTIVELY STUDYING ONLY!!

1\. No touching Charlie unless she has explicitly asked you to do so. This means no massages or foot rubs or teasing.

2\. Adam is not allowed to use his body as a distraction. This is including but not limited to:

\- Adam walking around in tight pants.

\- Adam walking around naked.

\- Adam touching his body in a manner that is distracting (before you ask, yes I mean that).

3\. Adam may not use his voice as a weapon. No whispering in Charlie’s ear. No dirty talking.

He realized it was for the best but damn if it would not be hard to adhere to Charlie’s rules.

“What am I supposed to do with myself?” Adam asked.

“Read a book. Compose. Play music. I am sure you can find a way to occupy yourself.”

“They appear to be reasonable.” he grumbled. “But I don’t like it.”

“Sign please.” Charlie hummed. Adam rolled his eyes before affixing his serial killer worthy signature to the page, sliding it back at Charlie. She signed in big loopy cursive and ripped the page off the pad.

“Where are you going with that?” Adam asked as Charlie rummaged through a drawer, holding the paper in her mouth.

“Putting it somewhere where you can see it.” Charlie pulled out a Boston magnet and slapped the paper onto the old fridge. “As a reminder.”

Adam rose and wrapped his arms around her waist to stare at the rules over her shoulder. His nose nuzzled into her curls, inhaling the scent of bay rum. “I would think you don’t trust me.”

Charlie spun around to wrap her arms around his neck. “Who broke the rules the first time?”

Adam nipped at her lower lip. “Who wrote shitty rules with loopholes?” His hands wandered down to cup her ass.

“No comment.” She kissed him.

“Do you need to study right now?”

“No. I’m caught up for the time being.”

“Good.” Adam lifted her up and sat her down on the counter. He hooked his thumbs into the waistband of her pajama bottoms and yanked them to the floor.

“Adam…” Charlie warned as he undid his robe, stepping between her knees.

“Not breaking the rules.” Adam hissed into her ear. “Can’t believe I am saying this. Again.”

“You love it.” Charlie dragged her fingers along his shaft.

“Fuck.” Adam sucked hard onto Charlie’s neck as he scooted her to the edge of the counter. He buried himself inside of her in one stroke.

Charlie’s nails dug into his shoulders. Adam chuckled and hooked her legs around his waist.

“Hold on, my love.” he warned with a smirk before snapping against her.

Adam twisted his hips as he rutted against her. He grunted with each thrusts.

“Adam, please…” Charlie breathed. “I’m close.”

“Then come, my love. Soak me.”

Charlie’s head fell back against the cabinet as her orgasm washed over her. She hooked around Adam’s thighs and pulled him as close as she could.

“That’s it my love.” Adam purred, thrusting twice more, before spilling into Charlie.

Adam pressed his forehead against Charlie’s. Her chest heaving as his breath blew her curls around.

“That was…” Charlie stuttered over the words.

“… what you will be missing while studying.” He kissed her nose before easing her back to the ground and walking away with a devious smile.

-

Three Weeks Later

Charlie chewed on the end of her pencil, rewriting her notes for the third time. She flipped through her textbook for something. Adam flopped down on the couch.

“Yes?” Charlie asked, sensing Adam’s poor mood from the other side of the couch. She didn’t even bother looking up from her book.

“How long are you going to be studying?”

“My midterm is on Monday.”

Adam groaned. “You have been studying for three days straight.”

“And your point is?” Adam reached out for her ankle which Charlie tucked underneath her. She jabbed her pencil in the general direction of the kitchen. “Rules.”

“Fuck the rules.” Adam whispered.

“What did you say?” Charlie glared over at him.

“I said fuck the rules, Charlie. I need you. Do you know how hard it is to see you sitting there in that fucking sweater?” Charlie glanced down at her purple sweater with the deep vee. “I swear you are doing it on purpose.”

“I am not. Now if you don’t mind, I am memorizing the names and locations of all the veins in the arm.”

“I know a lot about the veins in the arm.” Adam’s hand crawled towards her again.

“I’ll stick with my textbook thank you very much. Please find some other way to occupy yourself.”

Adam grumbled as he settled back against the high back of the green velveteen sofa. He glanced over at Charlie who leaned over to write in her notebook, giving him the perfect view down her sweater. His cock twitched. Without thought, he undid his pants, allowing it to pop free. With a languid motion, he stroked himself, imaging all the deliciously depraved things he wished Charlie was doing to him.

Adam’s soft grunt from the other side of the sofa pulled Charlie’s focus away. She spied as Adam sat there, mouth half open fisting his cock.

“What the fuck are you doing? That is breaking Rule #3!” she exclaimed.

“I am imagining you straddling my hips. The cock buried deep inside you. Your delicious cunt gripping against me. Your tits bouncing in my face as you ride me.” Adam’s voice deep like the rich tone of a cello or upright bass.

Charlie’s skin tingled, and her nipples hardened at Adam’s words.

“It’s too bad you are studying. Because if you weren’t, I would fuck you over the arm of this sofa, until you begged for me to let you cum, my love.”

“Well I guess, I could…” She set down her computer and crawled towards Adam when she caught herself. “NO! Stop that Adam, you’re breaking the rules.”

“No. the rules are stupid, Charlie. Just take a break.”

Charlie grabbed her notes, laptop, and textbook and headed towards the interior stairs.

“Where are you going?” Adam questioned, when he noticed Charlie storming off.

“Upstairs. I still have my futon up there.”

“But you belong here with me.” Adam moved with unnatural speed to cut her off. “Just take a break.” He reached for her but Charlie ducked away.

“No, Adam. This is important to me and it should be important to you.” Her lip wavered. “But you can’t even follow three simple rules for me. I’m going upstairs. And if you follow me, I am ripping the blackout curtains down.”

Adam stood there, staring at her speechless.

“Move, Adam.” She demanded, cooly.

He stepped aside. “Charlie, I’m—”

“I don’t want to hear it, Adam. Don’t wait up for me.”

She let the door click behind her before walking up the stairs. Adam leaned against the door, feeling like a right ass.

-

Adam paced the length of the apartment. He didn’t expect Charlie to react with such anger. So cold. He had seen her mad before but not like this. Not shut down. No tears, no yelling. He realized that for the second time in their short but intense relationship he had truly fucked up.

He ripped the rules off the fridge and pressed it into a tight ball. Adam tossed the ball towards the garbage can, missing it. With a huff, he stomped to the trashcan to throw it away. His eyes caught a stack of baking sheets Charlie bought a week ago but still need to put away.

“Scathingly brilliant idea, Adam.” he commented to himself, using a phrase he picked up from Charlie.

-

“Adam was right.” Charlie muttered as she shifted in a vain effort to find a comfortable spot on her old futon.

She hated to admit in this moment that Adam’s antique couch downstairs was far more comfortable than her secondhand futon. But she refused to admit defeat.

“Come on, Charlie. Just a few more hours and then you knock off for the night.” She steeled herself to push through this last bit. The reward of the cool sheets of their bed downstairs spurred her to return to her notes.

About an hour later, Charlie sniffed the air. Something acrid filled the air, like burnt toast or a wood fireplace running. She chalked it up a neighbor having a late winter or early spring fire.

BEEEEEEEEEEEEPPPP! The smoke detectors in the entire apartment went off. Charlie threw her notes off her lap and bolted down the stairs to the basement apartment.

“Adam! Are you…” She turned to find Adam hovering over the stove in the kitchen fanning a blackened cookie sheet. Black acrid smoke pouring off the sheet and some coming off the stove itself. “… okay?”

“Yes.” Adam grumbled.

Charlie chuckled a bit at the absurdity of Adam standing there, wearing her Wonder Woman apron, waving a kitchen towel over something that was now reduced to ash.

“What were you doing?” Charlie’s lips twitching at the corners.

“Baking cookies.”

“Those were cookies?” She gestured at the tiny hockey pucks on the cookie sheet.

“Yes.”

“Why would you be baking cookies? You don’t eat—Oh!” Charlie walked over by Adam and laced her fingers with his, staring at her ruined cookies. “Those were for me, weren’t they?”

“Yes. As an apology.” He squeezed her hand. “I’m sorry for acting like a jackass. It is important to me you succeed. I am not good at sharing you.”

“I know. This is only temporary, Adam. I am halfway through.” She squeezed back.

“Are you still mad at me?” He turned to face you.

“Yes, but the cookies helped. How in the hell did you burn them so bad?”

“Forgot to set the timer and then dozed off on the sofa.”

Charlie nodded. “That will do it. Now…” She wrapped her arms. “… since you have disrupted my studying without breaking the rules—”

“Sorry about that.”

“I was wrapping soon, anyway. Now what was this about me riding you?” She raised an eyebrow.

Adam’s eyes widened. “I don’t want to take—”

“Take me to bed, Adam.” She whispered in his ear.

“Are you sure? You can come back downstairs. I will go into the other room.” Adam pecked her lips. “I love you and I don’t want to be a distraction.”

“I love you too. And sometimes distractions are a good thing. Clears the mind. Now are you going to take me to bed or not?”

“Well, if you insist.” Adam grabbed Charlie at the waist and heaved her onto his shoulder.

“Adam! Put me down!!”

“No.” he chuckled. “You’re mine. And I have plans.”

“Do I get to know these plans?” Charlie huffed, resigning herself to being carried to the bedroom over Adam’s shoulder.

“I started with removing all your clothes and I will go from there.”

“I like the sound of that.” Charlie giggled as Adam dropped her onto the bed. Adam crawled up onto the bed next to her.

-

The Next Week

Charlie bounded into the bedroom after class that day and pounced onto Adam’s chest. His face obscured by a pillow.

“Adam…” She nibbled that spot on his neck behind his ear. “… wake up. I have something to show you.”

Adam groaned and peeked at Charlie from underneath the pillow. “What?”

Charlie shoved a piece of paper into his face. “I got an A on my midterm!” she squealed. “Only three people in the entire class got an A.”

Adam removed the pillow from his face and smiled at Charlie, who was beaming up at him. “Congratulations, darling. You worked hard for that.” He kissed her nose. “I’m proud of it.”

“Thank you, Adam. I couldn’t have done it without you.”

Adam’s hands slid down to cup Charlie’s ass. “I think your hard work deserves a reward.”

“More cookies?” Charlie giggled. A week later and the house still smelled of burnt cookies.

“No.” Adam rolled his eyes. “But it definitely involves eating.”

“Go on.” Charlie teased, wiggling on top of him.


End file.
